Palazzo Avino

A thousand feet high on a hilltop in Ravello, with a spectacular view of the Amalfi Coast, Palazzo Avino is at once charmingly ancient and sparklingly new: this 12th-century palace has been one of Europe’s top hotels since the 1880s. Closed during the ’80s, the hotel was rescued by the Virgin group in 1997, and regained its former status almost immediately, welcoming as its first guest the singer Placido Domingo.

The look, then, is one of classic elegance, but consciously designed rather than preserved under glass, an environment for living a bit of old-world fantasy. Floors and staircases are of marble, and contemporary artworks line the walls of the public spaces, with abundant sofas and chairs positioned for quiet contemplation. The pool area is a luxurious idyll, made a touch more dramatic by the astonishing view—whether from poolside, or from the underwater picture window, guests are treated to a panorama that takes in the hillsides and villages of the coastline and the deep blue sea beyond.

The Rosselini restaurant, naturally, takes advantage of the view as well, seating guests out on the terrace to dine against the jaw-dropping scenery. And the views from the guest rooms are almost enough to overshadow the sheer luxury of the accommodations, where guests choose daily from a menu of Frette linens and bathe in Bulgari amenities, surrounded by hand-made tile and antique furnishings. It’s a place worth seeing before you die, and it may take some forethought: this is a small hotel, and one in high demand—not a place for a last-minute flight of fancy, but well worth the extra effort.